Tag Archive for: Management

Bernhard and Company’s new senior management hires

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Bernhard and Company’s new senior management hires: Bernhard and Company has made two new senior hires with the appointment of Lee Wade as new Chief Operating Officer and Vitor Gomes as the company’s new Production Manager.

As new COO, Lee Wade will oversee Bernhard and Company’s operational functions, including manufacturing, engineering, HR, and customer care. With more than 20 years of operational experience, Wade is a versatile senior leader with a strong track record in managing multi-skilled teams and implementing lean manufacturing practices.

Bernhard and Company's new senior management hires

Bernhard and Company’s new senior management hires

Wade commented: “This is a truly exciting opportunity to be working with a brand that has achieved such global success and is so synonymous with its industry. A key part of my role will be to help guide the senior team as we look to capitalise on what has been a hugely successful year for the company and help shape what the future looks like at Bernhard.”

Vitor Gomes is joining Bernhard’s senior management team as Production Manager. Gomes brings with him a wealth of manufacturing experience, particularly in resource allocation, production scheduling, and workflow management.

Gomes added: “I’m delighted to join Bernhard and Company. I can’t wait to really dive into the intricacies of the production cycle for our various machines and products, finding new ways to add efficiencies and enhance what is already a fantastic team and operation.”

Steven Nixon, Managing Director for Bernhard and Company, said: “It’s great to have both Lee and Vitor on-board. This is an important moment for Bernhard and Company, as we look to continue pushing forward after another successful year. Introducing such significant and relevant experience will help us to further build our momentum as we look to take our business to the next level around the globe.”

The two new additions to the Bernhard leadership team will be based at the company’s production facility in Haverhill, United Kingdom.

For more information on Bernhard and Company, head online to: https://bernhard.co.uk/

You can also find Bernhard and Company on Twitter at @BernhardCompany, on Instagram at @bernhardcompany, and on Facebook and LinkedIn by searching Bernhard Company.

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Irrigation and water management expert launches advisory practice

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Irrigation and water management expert launches advisory practice: Stuart Tate, one of the golf industry’s leading irrigation and water management experts, has launched a design engineering and technical advisory practice, Irrigation Professionals Limited.

Based in Ringwood, UK, Stuart and a number of specialist associates will assist clients with strategic planning for water usage, provide water sourcing and water engineering solutions, and deliver practical support and education for those operating, maintaining, upgrading and replacing golf course and sports turf irrigation systems.

Irrigation and water management expert launches advisory practice

Irrigation and water management expert launches advisory practice

Stuart has 35 years’ design engineering and specification expertise. In a career dedicated to the golf sector, he has led the way in the design of total system solutions and the implementation of new technologies. With a focus on sustainability and a hands-on approach to the management of individual projects, he is a trusted resource for golf course operators, architects, irrigation consultants, contractors, distributors, agronomists, and course managers around the world. In his most recent role as European Golf Specification Manager for Rain Bird, he also delivered greenkeeper education for a number of membership organisations, ensuring end-users’ knowledge keeps pace with technological developments and best practice in irrigation management.

Speaking about his new venture, Stuart says there is a need for specialist support in the sector.

“Water is essential for turfgrass health and performance and water scarcity is a pressing issue, yet irrigation remains a grey area in the golf and sports turf industry’s understanding. We will provide the links between water sourcing, efficient design, the latest water saving technologies and education, to give organisations and turf professionals clarity and confidence in their approach to managing this precious resource.”

To contact Stuart and to find out more about the services available, call +44(0)7956 497999, email info@irriprof.com or connect with Stuart on LinkedIn.

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Embracing Sustainability in Amenity Management

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Embracing Sustainability in Amenity Management: BASIS is pleased to announce the launch of its new online course series, ‘The Principles of Sustainable Amenity Management’. In the realm of amenity management, embracing sustainability is not merely a trend—it’s a necessity. 

Developed in collaboration with key stakeholders, including esteemed former Amenity Forum Chair John Moverley, this self-paced, four-part course offers an in-depth exploration of essential topics such as policy, biodiversity, water and air pollution management, and integrated approaches. All modules are available via BASIS Classroom, providing a comprehensive and flexible learning experience for professionals in the amenity sector.

Embracing Sustainability in Amenity Management

Embracing Sustainability in Amenity Management

The Principles of Sustainable Amenity Management Online Learning Package

The course is divided into four key modules. Each module can be purchased individually, and participants who complete all four will receive access to a fifth module—a FREE online toolbox kit. This bonus module includes relevant case studies, guides, and the opportunity to take a BASIS-certified assessment.

By enrolling in this course, participants will gain essential knowledge and insights to advance their professional growth. Here’s why individuals at all levels of the amenity sector should consider enrolling:

  1. Understanding Policy & Sustainability in the Amenity Sector Navigate the complex landscape of policies, legislation, and guidance, gaining essential insights from the UK National Action Plan to codes of practice. Participants will build a strong foundation crucial for delivering sustainability.
  2. Building Biodiversity for Amenity Environmental Management Managing amenity areas goes beyond aesthetics; it involves ensuring balanced ecosystems. This module covers habitat management, biodiversity, net gain, and sustainable soil and water management, with expert input from Dr Christian Spring.
  3. Managing Water and Air Pollution in the Amenity Environment As environmental concerns grow, so does the need for effective pollution management. This course provides tools to identify and mitigate pollutants, emphasising sustainable alternatives and evaluating practices through Life Cycle Analysis (LCA).
  4. Planning Integrated Approaches in Amenity Situations Effective weed, pest, and disease management are critical components of amenity management. This module explores integrated approaches and the pillars of successful implementation, enhanced with practical examples and expert insights.
  5. Sustainable Amenity Practice in Action – Case Studies, Assessments & Certification FREE upon completion of the first four modules. This final module ties everything together with relevant case studies, toolkits, and an online assessment, leading to a BASIS certification and additional CPD points.

Through these modules, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of sustainable practices in the amenity sector. Designed for professionals seeking to deepen their understanding and implementation of sustainable management practices, this course caters to a diverse audience, from seasoned industry veterans to newcomers, including landscape managers, groundskeepers, and environmental consultants. No previous experience or qualifications are required to complete this course.

For further information and to enrol in the course, visit basis-classroom.co.uk/courses/amenity and see the full series. BASIS Professional Register members will have access to the first module through their membership.

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Enhance and perfect your turf management strategy with Attraxor

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Enhance and perfect your turf management strategy with Attraxor: Finding optimal solutions to manage and maintain amenity turf remains a consistent challenge among greenkeepers, with a growing number of professionals recognising the benefits of introducing plant growth regulators (PGRs), like Attraxor®, into their ongoing strategy. Here, we hear from several of the UK’s top greenkeepers about how Attraxor® has helped them manage and maintain their turf.

The leading PGR in the turf management toolkit, Attraxor® works by restricting the production of gibberellic acid – the plant hormone responsible for cell elongation. By reducing the level of hormone in the leaf, Attraxor® then redirects the energy within the sward to enhance the root and lateral growth, while upholding consistent turf quality and colour.

Enhance and perfect your turf management strategy with Attraxor

Enhance and perfect your turf management strategy with Attraxor

PGRs, like Attraxor®, are instrumental in enabling groundkeepers to optimise their often-limited resources efficiently.

Darren McLaughlan, golf courses manager at Trump Turnberry, Ayrshire, agrees and confirms he has seen enhanced turf quality, reduced time spent and costs in maintenance – as well as improved playability.

Darren said: “We recorded growth suppression of average 33 per cent as measured by clip rate, so it’s clear that the use of Attraxor® plus natural environmental factors have significantly reduced top growth. The active prohexadione calcium shrinks the Poa seedhead leading to far more consistent ball roll, improved smoothness, and a slight increase in green speed!

“Playability metrics such as green speed and bobble test rating increased dramatically after one application. Our members have also commented on the difference in the greens and the improvement in their play since we began using Attraxor®.”

Attraxor® also limits the spread of Poa annua and reduces seedhead production by up to 38%. By using an innovative formulation for fast leaf absorption, it provides almost instant results as it is activated once diluted in water at low pH.

John Quinn, Golf Course Manager at The Mere Golf Resort and Spa, has been using Attraxor® for three seasons and continues to see excellent benefits and Poa annua reduction from the PGR.

John said “I use Attraxor® every 21 days on our greens and it has lowered the mowing maintenance of the greens and complemented our existing efforts of upkeep.

“During periods of high growth, we alternate days mowing and rolling to reduce plant stress. Attraxor® gives me better control of growth rates. Throughout the 21-day period, a more uniform sward is possible each week. I’ve found that the Poa annua seedhead suppression qualities are superior to Trinexapac-ethyl products.”

Attraxor® increases the density of the turf by redirecting growth horizontally. It encourages the thickening of the plant cell walls and epidermis, therefore creating a stronger, more resilient, and consistent sward, while suppressing Poa annua seedhead production.

To find out more about Attraxor®, visit https://www.pestcontrol.basf.co.uk/en/Products/Overview/Growth-Regulator/Attraxor.html#section-benefits or to explore BASF’s wider turf products, visit https://www.pestcontrol.basf.co.uk/en/Products/Product-innovation/Turf/

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Advancing Golf Course Management

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Advancing Golf Course Management: An educational event, organised by ICL and Syngenta, brought together over 50 greenkeepers from seven different counties for a day filled with insightful presentations and valuable networking opportunities at Burnham and Berrow Golf Club in Somerset.

Liam Rowlands, the ICL Technical Area Sales Manager in the southwest and the driving force behind the event, emphasised the event’s core objective: to educate greenkeepers, facilitate knowledge sharing, and promote professional growth within the turf industry.

Advancing Golf Course Management

Advancing Golf Course Management

The event featured presentations by Liam, Henry Bechelet, ICL Technical Manager, and Sean Loakes, Technical Manager for Syngenta.

Henry shared his extensive expertise in agronomy, focusing on strategies to improve sward species progression in golf greens through ‘The Disturbance Theory’, alongside the importance of water management techniques.

Sean addressed the challenges of controlling Dollar spot, particularly prevalent in the southwest, and discussed disease management strategies and programmes. He highlighted the importance of understanding regional challenges and tailoring solutions through ongoing trials and development.

Attendees, such as Liam Pigden, Deputy Course Manager at Burnham and Berrow, and Richard Ponsford, Course Manager at Clevedon Golf Club, echoed the sentiment that education is the cornerstone of professional development in turf management. Liam noted, “The water management presentation was very interesting, and it was great to see the data and the trials rather than us just putting products on the course and assuming they are going to work. Education is key.”

Richard added, “I’ve come away with more ideas on how to deal with Dollar Spot, and I’ll be looking at a couple of greens a bit differently in terms of moisture management. No matter what line of work you are in, education is useful because the day you stand still is the day you get left behind. It’s been a fascinating event.”

Eddie Cambell, Head Greenkeeper at Ogbourne Downs Golf Club, found the event an excellent opportunity to stay abreast of industry advancements and connect with fellow greenkeepers facing similar challenges. The discussions on water management and the prevalence of Dollar Spot were particularly beneficial, offering insights into proactive strategies for turf maintenance.

This insightful education day exemplifies a commitment to advancing turf management practices through knowledge sharing, networking, and ongoing research. By providing a forum for industry professionals to exchange ideas and stay informed, events like these play a vital role in shaping the future of turf management, ensuring that the industry continues to evolve and adapt to meet emerging challenges.

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-growingsolutions.uk and icl-growingsolutions.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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